Breathtaking gene discovery in Dalmatian dogs

A new genetic study conducted by the University of Helsinki has uncovered a gene associated with acute respiratory disease syndrome (ARDS) in dogs specifically dalmatians. Acute respiratory disease syndrome (ARDS) is a condition of sudden respiratory failure due to fluid accumulation, and severe inflammation in the lungs.To diagnose acute respiratory disease most veterinarians will use  the method of  blood gas analysis that measures the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood to determine how well the lungs are functioning.  In humans there are many causes for lethal respiratory distress such as pneumonia. In dogs the cause is a genetic disorder resulting from a defect in anillin protein which binds to actin, this protein is important in cell division and growth. Lack of anillin can lead to malformed epithelial structures thus inhaled air, will become trapped in the alveolar walls. The mortality rate in dogs that have ARDS is 100 percent if left untreated.Despite advances ARDS still remains one of the most difficult disease to treat. This gene discovery provides new insights into the mechanism of lung injuries that can lead to recovery or complete eradicate it from certain breeds. 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170314092756.htm

http://www.mydogdna.com/

Biomarkers help predict outcome in deadly lung disease

Picture of what scarring looks like in the lungs as carbon dioxide leaves and oxygen enters

Difference between normal lungs and lungs with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

One of the most lethal lung diseases, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), has led to studies in Yale that have shown to identify this disease with specific gene expressions. These expressions help the outcome and will lead to better treatment for patients with this disease. The average age to see signs of IPF is in adult individuals of 50 and 70 years of age. Medical News Today has noted that the side effects from this disease are progressive scarring of the lungs, leading to cough, shortness of breath, and potentially death. This disease is classified as idiopathic because the cause cannot be identified and there is no other cure other than a lung transplant. The goal of this experiment was to analyze changes of genes in the blood using two cohorts of patients. It was identified that 52 genes correlated with this disease and four specific genes, CD28, ICOS, LCK, and ITK, have a predicted shorter survival time in patients with IPF.The research team has said that they believe discovery of these biomarkers will help physicians better predict disease presence, severity, and prognosis in IPF patients. Being that these genes are related to immune activation, major impacts would be on drug studies. At this moment there is six drugs that are being studied for IPF. First author Jose Herazo-Maya of Yale School of Medicine said, "current drug studies do not address the variability in outcomes of IPF patients, instead our findings may help investigators target patients who are more likely to progress and improve."  

http://www.news-medical.net/news/2008/04/28/37851.aspx

(Article)http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/266946.php 

RSV, know the signs!

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common virus that infects the lungs and breathing passage ways. Though it may only produce minor cold symptoms in adults, it can lead to serious illness in young children. In an article posted on ScienceDaily, on March 16, 2012, the reader learns that RSV an extremely contagious virus. Though it peaks in winter, the virus may continue to affect communities through early spring," said Rahul Bhatia, MD, pediatric intensive care unit physician at Loyola University Health System. According to the Centers for Disease Control, RSV is the leading cause of bronchiolitis in infants under the age of 1. Most children will have been exposed to RSV by their second birthday. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine to protect children against this virus. In fact, the best way to prevent the virus is good, old-fashioned hand washing, researchers proclaim. According to Bhatia, symptoms typically peak around 5-7 days into the illness and can provide problems for 10-15 days. People with RSV are usually contagious for 3-8 days, but those with a weaken immune system may be contagious for up to four weeks. The top five concerning symptoms of RSV in children are 1. It has become increasingly more difficult for child to breathe 2. Child has nasal flaring 3. Child has a decreased appetite 4. Child is not breathing properly 5. Child has decreased urine output.



Here you can see where in the lungs RSV affects a child.